Mondays can be brutal. You've just finished a crazy weekend and suddenly you're back in your 9 a.m. wanting to fall asleep--it sucks. Mondays are like the sour grape of the week because the thought of starting a new week is horrifying and gross at the same time. You pretty much make the same face about Mondays as you do sour grapes. So it's safe to say that you need a little motivation when that third cup of coffee isn't doing the trick. You roll out of bed, get dressed and you're out the door.
Most people listen to music on their commute to school, work or wherever they're going. Music can really make or break your mood and set the tone for the day, so it's a good idea to find a good playlist for Mondays. Usually, I listen to Spotify and try to find the most positive playlist for a Monday, but that doesn't always do the trick. Instead, I've created my own playlist of songs that make that journey to class slightly less terrible. Here are my top 10 songs:
1. "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" by Fergie
As an upbeat song, this definitely wakes you up. It'll make you want to either dance, or to watch "The Great Gatsby." It starts off slow and lets you start to wake up, and the beat eventually drops to really get you going for the day. I love this song because you can walk to the beat or subtly bob your head to the beat and hope no one notices that you're low-key rocking out. It's an upbeat song to put you in a good mood, and is perfect if you're trying to look past this week into the weekend. It gets you in the mood to go out and party all weekend.
2. "Shout" by the Isley Brothers
A classic is a must for a Monday morning, especially when it's sung by the Isley Brothers. Everyone knows the words to it and everyone gets pumped whenever it comes on. What's not to like? That tambourine is amazing in this song. Especially when the pace changes. The pace will definitely wake you up because it's not stagnant. It gets slower and faster randomly. It's also not a crazy and loud song that makes you want to shut it off. It's a reasonable mix of slow and crazy for a Monday morning.
As a college student, it's very rare I wake up in a good mood on a Monday. I'm crabby that the weekend is over and I just want this week to be over before I even leave my bed. This song makes Monday a little more bearable, since it's constantly reminding you to be happy. It's also a faster-paced song, which wakes you up. Besides, when this song plays, all I think about are those minions from "Despicable Me." Who doesn't like those minions or that movie?
4. "Cake By the Ocean" by DNCE
Not only is it a shocker that Joe Jonas is the singer of this band after being the lead in the Jonas Brothers, but this song is also positive and so bizarre. I love the beat of this song. I usually end up walking to it and when the chorus comes on, I can't help but jam out. This song also makes me think about two things I love: cake and the ocean. The strange sound is fun, but when you add the ideas of cake and the beach, suddenly I'm wide awake.
5. "Hold Back the River" by James Bay
This song is really great to listen to if you're still half asleep and just going through the motions. His voice is so soothing and it starts out slowly and softly. Then, just as you start to consider falling back asleep, the pace picks up and suddenly the song is getting faster, there are more instruments, and it's getting louder. It's a great song for people who are slow at waking up. When the chorus hits, you're pretty much almost fully awake. The build-up is perfect for a Monday.
This song is so positive and it has got a smooth sound to it. It's not too upbeat and his voice is amazing. I love the steady beat to this song, and the fact that his voice is so low. It also has a positive vibe to it and makes you just kind of want to jam out, maybe sing along here and there. It's different than your average pop song today, which is nice. It's definitely going to shock you if you place it anywhere near a song by Sia.
This song builds so nicely and then suddenly her voice gets high and you're awake immediately. I like how she goes high and low and holds out the notes. If you're not awake after that third cup of coffee, her voice will do the trick. This song is great as one of the last ones you listen to before class. By the end of this song, you're definitely alive after hearing her high notes. Depending on how crazy your weekend was, this song is definitely fantastic for that Monday wake-up.
8. "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles
I really like the Beatles's version of this. It makes me think of Ferris Bueller and how much I'd kill to be him on that parade float, skipping class and jamming out. This is another song that everybody knows the words to. It puts me in such a good mood and makes me want to dance. After listening to this once, it's stuck in my head all day and I just want to twist. This is definitely a song I sing in the shower on Mondays to try and wake myself up.
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9. "Wonderful World" James Morrison
James Morrison's voice is soothing and when you add this song, it's hard not to feel happy and awake after listening. It makes you want to smile or see your friends. I love this song because it's so positive and the beat is nice if you're in the middle of waking up--not quite asleep but not quite awake. After listening, you start asking yourself if it really is a wonderful world on that Monday morning. It gets your brain thinking about something besides how hungry or late you are, which is always a good thing.
Everybody needs a little Justin Bieber in their day. This song is one of his more upbeat ones lately and isn't a sad ballot that makes you want to apologize or hurt the person you've been dumped by. Okay, maybe this song does make you want to apologize, but it's so catchy that you can't help but sing along. That trumpet definitely keeps you from falling back asleep and when the beat picks up, you just want to start nodding your head to it.
Hopefully these songs can help those Monday morning struggles when coffee isn't doing the trick. I find that these are perfect for trying to get out of bed and getting to class when I'm really not feeling like it.
